Wireless communications enable information to be exchanged using wireless devices, such as cellular telephones and Internet-enabled smart phones. With the ever-increasing demand for wireless bandwidth, it is becoming increasingly important to ensure that wireless networks are optimally deployed.
Typically, wireless communication networks comprise a plurality of telecommunications antenna mounted high above antenna masts, transmission towers, and tall buildings. Each antenna is typically a panel antenna designed to serve a specific area, which in the case of cellular communications is referred to as a cell. The strength of the signal available to wireless devices within the cell is in part based on the precision of the installation of the antenna.
To optimize the strength and bandwidth of the signal, the panel antenna must be properly aligned when it is installed. Due to wind and movement during servicing, the antenna must also be realigned from time to time. Alignment involves both pointing the antenna at a particular azimuth and at a particular mechanical tilt. Even small errors in the azimuth alignment will cause a significant degradation in signal quality. Mechanical tilt errors are not as critical since a mechanical tilt error is typically controlled electronically as well as mechanically.
A multitude of prior art solutions are currently in use for azimuth alignment of panel antenna. Currently, the most accurate alignment apparatus are those that are mounted directly to the antenna during installation and servicing.
Sunsight™ is the manufacturer of one such system that can be mounted either to the side or top of the antenna. The Sunsight system includes GPS antenna that are used to determine the azimuth of the panel antenna to be aligned.
UMTS Project Partners is another manufacturer of an alignment system called the SPAA-05 (trademark). FIG. 2 illustrates a SPAA alignment system. This system comes closer to measuring an accurate azimuth than the Sunsight system. It includes two arms, one of which braces the back panel of the antenna and the other which braces the front panel of the antenna. An arm configured to hold an electronic pointing system extends from the front arm. However, the shape and configuration of antenna cause a problem for the SPAA to provide precise alignment.
Another antenna alignment system is manufactured 3Z Telecom which systems are more fully particularized in www.3ztelecom.com/antenna-alignent-tool/
One of the difficulties from such prior art devices relates to the size of the alignment systems. Generally speaking, a technician sometimes called a tower dog needs to climb a tower while carrying equipment to do man tasks with respect to the antenna. Therefore, if the size of these devices could be made smaller, they would be easier to deploy.
It the equipment could be made smaller, this would not only help carry the equipment up a tower but also with shipping, the ability to hand carry the system back and forth as well as being able to bring it onto an airplane as carry-on luggage.
One approach taken by the prior art relates to using board sets from Hemispheres as outlined in their data sheets. However, these prior art systems are not that accurate as the antennas are generally less than 0.5 meters apart.
Another arrangement in the prior art is disclosed by Watson Industries, Inc. from Wisconsin, U.S.A. at www.watson-gyro.com relating to foldable GPS antennas that are stowed in a container bearing model number GGC-E101.
Accordingly, there is a need to develop a system that is more compact and accurate than the prior art. However, the prior art devices require two spaced antennas that are generally 0.5 meters apart which antennas require cabling to central processing electronics. Furthermore, it is not advisable to utilize cables that are exposed to the environment or expose the cables to excessive bending.
Therefore, there is a need to produce an articulated GPS compass that is foldable in a stacked position and that extends in an extended position.
There have been some devices that illustrate articulated folding structures and methods. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,097,133 teaches an articulated wing which is readily deployable from a stowed configuration that occupies minimal volume to an extended configuration for flight. However, the cables utilized in this structure bends upon itself and is not suitable for a GPS compass system as the bending of the cables will affect the accuracy of the antennas. Another foldable device is demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,442 that relates to a flattenable foldable boom hinge.
It is an object of this invention to provide a further improved foldable device which substantially eliminates the folding of the cable upon itself when the device is moved from its compact stacked position to an extended selectively rotatable position.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved foldable GPS compass which is easier to install and adjust.
One aspect of the invention relates to a displaceable device comprising: at least two segments rotatable about a hollow cylinder between: a first composition and a second extended position; wherein one of said segments includes a passageway communicating with said hollow cylinder; and a cable extending through this passageway of one of the segments through the hollow cylinder, when the segments are rotated between the first compact position to the second extended position.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a rotatable GPS compass comprising: first and second arms rotatably connected at one end thereof and defining a hub rotatable between: a compact position where said first and second arms overlie each other; to an extended position with said first and second arms disposed along a first direction; the first arm carrying a first antenna at another end of the first arm; the second arm carrying a second antenna at another end of the second arm; first and second arms including a passageway communicating with the hub; one cable extending from the first antenna through the passageway of the first arm to the hub; another cable extending from the second antenna through the passageway of the second arm to the hub; wherein the first and second cables are subjected to torsional movement between the compact and extended positions. In one embodiment the arms and the antennas are selectively rotatable about preset positions relative an azimuth direction.
Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a detent for selectively positioning a member comprising first and second discs where one of said discs includes recess means and the other disc includes a moveable pair of engageable gear protrusions adapted to engage said recess means at pre-selected positions.
A further aspect of the invention relates to a method of installing a GPS compass onto an antenna tower comprising: moving a segmented GPS compass into a compact position; connecting one end of the compact GPS compass onto the antenna tower extending the segmented GPS compass so that each of the segments are in a selected direction.